Hunted
by curiobi
Summary: Sam is a lawyer, he is married to his college sweetheart, he has the perfect life, and he is empty and dead inside, one day his new car breaks down in a rough part of town and a man offers to help him, a man with compelling green eyes, a man unwilling to divulge a single thing about himself, not even his name,
1. Hunted - 1

**Hunted**

Sam was tired he was just bone tired and weary he was 27 and he felt like he was 47, he was married to a woman so beautiful that most men told him the envied him to his face, he had a successful law practice he had the best things money could buy and yet something was just _missing_, and lately he felt it down to his bone marrow.

His brand new car started to make strange noises and he slammed his hand down on to the steering wheel, this was _not_ the neighbourhood to break down in, he reached for his phone then remembered that the thing was beeping at him to recharge it before he left the office, he had used it to give Jessica a quick call and had figured it would last him until he got home, if not he was going straight there and could charge it then, but traffic had been diverted and now he was in this part of town, broken down with a dead cell phone. _Great._

Sam pulled over trying not to draw any more attention to himself then he already was, a few eyes were watching him as his car faltered and stalled, and he ran his hand through his hair in frustration. A tap on the window made him jump, and he felt as if time was standing still as he found himself staring into the eyes of a man who was looking at him through his car window. It was very dark and he couldn't make out much of the man's features but there was something about the man's green eyes that rendered him instantly incapable of doing anything but staring. It was the strangest moment of his life.

The man made quick 'wind down the window' motions and Sam was pressing the button for the electric window before he had time to think, the sudden hammering of his heart in chest as self preservation kicked in had him stopping the window half way, what the hell was he thinking? _He had just made it easy for the man to point a gun in his face and take his stupid car._

'Hey take it easy' the man said in a low drawl 'I'm not gonna hurt you okay, it's just that this aint the best neighbourhood to be driving around in, this car probably cost more than people forced to live here could make in a year, the man whistled through his teeth as his eyes travelled over the car, 'scratch that more than they could make in _ten_ years, what were you thinking brining this thing here? it's kinda rubbing it in their faces you know'

Sam finally found his voice but couldn't tear his eyes away from the mans, 'well it's not like I planned to drive through here, not like there's anything wrong with here, I mean traffic got diverted and…' He was never short of speech, never unable to find words when he needed them, but right now speech eluded him entirely as he continued to stare… it was strange but those eyes…

'Listen were attracting a lot of attention, I know a thing or two about cars why don't you pop the hood and let me look at it, while you call your repair service. _Hey pal are you okay?_

_Something was… there was something going on here… _

'Look it's up to you, but you really want to get this started and get you out of here quickly-HEY'

The man turned his head and Sam followed his line of vision, the man was right _they were definitely attracting unwanted attention he had to get out of here fast._

'I'll try my best to get it started while you call your repair service'

'My phones dead'

'I would offer you mine, but…' the man reached into his pocket and pulled out a battered looking phone that would not be out of place in a museum of lost relics.

'What' the man said defensively at what Sam assumed was his incredulous expression 'I like the menu, I can use it, its set up the way I like it'.

'It's a relic'.

'Yeah well, anyway, she's a bit temperamental today, so no calls only text messages you got someone you can text for help?'

'You're joking right?'

'Look you wanna text someone or not?'

'Okay er thanks...' Sam took the phone and tried to make heads or tails of it, the phone was not only ancient, it was a make he had never even heard off, even when this phone was brand new in times long past he wouldn't have given it a second glance.

The man cleared his throat 'er you wanna pop the hood before someone decides to jack you?'

Sam pressed the button and watched the man walk to the front of the car, he didn't bother getting out and pretending he could help, he didn't know a thing about cars other than what was the most luxurious and how to drive them, also he was acutely aware that the man could be setting him up… but there was just something about him that told him he wasn't, his ability to read people and his -sharp to the point of being of being a sixth sense- instincts were what made him such a successful defence lawyer. He sighed in frustration as he tried to text his wife, but after wasting precious moments of his life texting using the old fashioned number key input he now couldn't figure out how to send the message.

'Hey try it now'

'Right' He turned the ignition key and the engine turned over then stalled again.

'Damit' Sam heard the man say at the same time as he hissed it under his breath.

'Okay lemme try something else real quick okay?'

'Yeah, sure thanks'

'Hey you text for help yet?'

'Well I would but there's something up with the send feature'

'Oh yeah the buttons a bit temperamental'

'Really'

'Yeah'

'Temperamental' Sam scoffed

'Hey, all you gotta do, is A: quit showing her you're attitude she's very sensitive to people looking down on her-'

'-_She_, who? _the phone_? You cannot be serious, phones do not have gender-'

-'And B:' the man went on as if he hadn't spoken 'you gotta hold the send button down and kinda dig into it because it's kinda-'

-'Let me guess, it's kind of temperamental'

'Yeah'

'And which button am I pressing? You do realise that none of the buttons have markings on them anymore, I had to guess the buttons to text with, in old number keys that takes forever-'

-'Hey quit bitching about my phone, I bet you anything her battery last longer than your new age piece of crap'

Sam shrugged because the guy might well have him there, his phone could do just about anything a small computer could but the battery life was useless, his wife was right he had to start carrying a charged spare…

'Just hang I think I've almost got this, then I'll show you which button to press'

'Thanks'

'Okay try her now'

Sam tried the engine again and it turned over and started just as a group of large shady looking men began heading swiftly in their direction.

'Get in' Sam barked.

The man looked around 'hey for all you know I could be one of them'.

Sam looked into his eyes for a moment, then said quietly 'no I don't think so. Come on we better get out of here'.

The man quickly got into the passenger side and Sam took off at speed, 'great, the sat nav is not working, what the hell is up with this damn car it's brand new, do you know your way around here?' Sam glanced over at the man who was busy with his phone, stroking it and crooning 'come on baby, just send come on' and Sam frowned as he wondered if the man was some kind of technophile or whatever the word was for persons who lavished affection of inanimate objects, and It occurred to him that the man may not have heard him 'can you give me directions to get to uptown?'

The man looked up from his phone 'no sorry I'm not from around here' the man returned his attention back to his phone.

Sam took his eyes off the road for a second and looked at the man sitting next to him taking in everything about him. He was Sam supposed, almost ridiculously good looking, huge pouty lips, big green eyes, blonde hair, and a damn near perfect nose, which seemed a odd thing to notice on another man but he did, he was dressed in a way that stated he was blue collar, and his relic of a phone and worn boots spoke to his financial situation, maybe he worked late at some kind of factory around here and was just getting of work.

'So you work around here, a new job or something that would have you unfamiliar with the area'.

'Nah I'm not from around here I'm just passing through'.

'Well what were you doing out here so late? where are you staying?'.

The man treated him to a devastating smile, that lit up his dark green eyes and made them sparkle, 'Heck I can't tell you that, you could be a mad killer'.

'Oh come on, of course I'm not'.

'Well that's what a mad killer would say' the man smiled again and Sam couldn't help staring, the feeling that he had been waiting for that smile, that he craved it made no sense to him.

'I'm staying at a motel a little ways up town'.

'So what were you doing around here?'

'Working'.

'What do you do?'

'What's with all the questions, no honest cop could afford this car so I'm guessing you're a damn lawyer or something?'

'Actually yes'.

'Figures, well Mr. lawyer, I plead the fifth'

'Why-'.

'Hey you wanna look at the road Mr. lawyer'.

Sam realised he had been staring at the detriment of driving and returned his attention to the road, 'Sam' he said quietly.

'What?'

'You called me Mr. lawyer, I'm just saying my names Sam'.

'Okay well…'

'Are you going to tell me your name?'

'I don't know Mr. lawyer Sam you gonna use it against me in court'.

'Oh for gods- of course not, how could I? You're not on trial'.

The man looked at him intently and Sam felt a strange lurching in his chest and tried to concentrate on the road

'any luck sending that message?'

'Don't worry she's getting there'.

'Well maybe if you stroke a little harder' Sam scoffed.

The man's sultry voice dropped a couple of dirty octaves 'well that's the general idea' .

'You do realise that keeping an object when it can no longer perform its primary function it patently ridiculous don't you?'

'Wha… oh you're saying I should ditch the phone'.

'It clearly doesn't work, what's the point of keeping something that's useless when you could just replace it?'

The man shook his head and murmured 'look it's okay she's getting there, what you worried if you don't send it yourself and delete the number you're texting, I'll somehow track the address and come mug you in your sleep or something'.

Sam snorted 'track me, _with that relic_, yeah right'.

'Alright now you're just being mean to her, don't you listen to him baby' the man crooned stroking the phone.

'You're a strange guy you know that'.

The man smiled again and Sam was drawn to staring at his mouth.

'So since you won't tell me where you live, or even your name is there anywhere I can drop you off?'

'Anywhere's fine'.

'Well not with me, firstly I don't even know where we are, but I can see we're still in a part of town I'd rather not be at this time of night so I have no intention of pulling over, and secondly you risked yourself to get me out of a tight situation and you don't even know me, so the least I can do is drive you home'.

The man twisted sideways and looked at him 'you're a stubborn one aint ya'.

'So I've been told' Sam said quietly. The last person to tell him that had been his wife this morning. He finally turned onto a main road he recognised and began to get his bearings.

'What you suddenly look relived or something'.

'Well I finally know where the hell I am'.

'Okay'.

'So where are you staying? let me drive you'.

'Look it's okay you're on a main road now, and you know where you are so it's safe for both of us, just pull over and- why are you staring at me like that?'.

'I don't know, I'm sorry, so where can I drop you?'.

Over by that taxi rank is fine'.

'I'm assuming you don't live under a taxi rank so I can only conclude you are going to waste good money you could be using to purchase a working phone, paying a taxi to drive you home when I'm happy to do so for free'.

The man smiled 'it won't cost that much, not enough to buy a phone that's for sure'.

'You said you were just passing through, are you from out of town? you have an accent I can't quite place but it's not native New York that's for sure, are you visiting relatives or staying at a hotel, or renting a room somewhere?

'What accent?'

'I don't know, some kind of vaguely southern state or country drawl it's hard to say it's very faint and seems mixed with other things. People who move around a lot when they are kids, pick up many different dialects and as a result their speech patterns and accents often tend to be a unique amalgamation of the ones that stuck with them, is that what happened with you?'.

The man was silent for a moment and then looked Sam over quizzically 'I thought you said you were a lawyer what are you going all Sherlock holms on me for?'

'I'm not, I'm just… in my line of work you tend to notice these things, for instance a man stating on the witness stand that he is from one place while his bearing and accent tell you otherwise is a sure indicator that the man is either lying about his past or trying to hide something about his present either way his testimony cannot be taken at face value, you may choose to have the man investigated or the truth may come out on the stand after vigorous cross examination, the point is, noticing seemingly minute details like that, can be the difference between winning and losing a case'.

'And have you ever lost a case Mr. lawyer?'.

'No'.

The man nodded a half smile playing on his full lips 'I can believe that Mr. lawyer, this is probably the most questions I've ever been asked in one day, you sure know how to grill a guy'.

'I'm not as you say 'grilling you', if I were you would know it believe me. Now which is it, are you staying with relatives or-'

-'Shish you don't give up do you, I'm renting a room not far from here, so dropping me off anywhere around here is fine okay'

'So you don't really need a taxi, you're 'place' is within walking distance?'

'You just don't give up with the questions do you Mr. Lawyer'.

'I told you it's Sam' he snapped irritably as he glanced over at the man 'stop calling me Mr. Lawyer' their eyes locked again and for a second time Sam found he couldn't look away.

Some kind of deep buzzing and the sound of a rock guitar suddenly playing loudly made them both jump and Sam was instantly convinced the man's crazy tales about keeping a phone that wasn't working most of the time were true because his entire face lit up as he rubbed the phone crooning 'ah baby, you're back'.

Sam looked at him with his eyebrows raised in disbelief .

'Aww I'm sorry man' he said looking over at him 'she doesn't multi task too well, when the call came in the draft message disappeared, I can probably get it back but…

'Err, that's okay, I'll be home soon now thanks to you so, don't you think you better answer that?'

'Oh right yeah?'

The man's face was in a wide smile as said 'hello'

The man's smile disappeared as he said 'yes sir' and Sam felt it's loss keenly 'yes sir, I'm sorry sir, yes I will sir'.

'Who was-'

'-Look I gotta go, please pull over up t the corner up ahead'.

'Was that your boss or something?'

'Something like that. Over here's fine pull over' The man's manner had changed so dramatically Sam couldn't understand it, but he didn't like it, the way he was just moments ago, smiling and laughing and rubbing his stupid relic of a phone with glee just because it rang, that's what he wanted… what was he thinking, why did he care, he didn't even know this man, didn't even know his name, and yet…

Sam pulled over.

'Thanks'.

'Hey wait, I mean… are you going to be alright?'

'Yeah sure, look nice meeting you man, gotta go'

'Er yes, well thanks for helping me out'.

'No problem'.

'No really th-' but he was talking to himself, the car door was shut on him mid sentence and the man was striding away quickly.

Sam at still for a moment trying to get a handle on his bizarre emotions, _he didn't want the man to go, _it didn't make any sense but everything in him every instinct he had was telling him he had just made a mistake. Yes he always followed his instincts, yes they had never steered him wrong, but he still couldn't quite believe it when instead of turning off the way he was supposed to go, back to his safe existence and his beautiful home and beautiful wife, he turned his car around the corner and followed the man.


	2. Hunted - 2

**Hunted 2**

Sam sat at his desk in his study, unable to concentrate on the work he had bought home from the office yesterday. _He had lost track of that man last night_, because apparently attempting to covertly follow strange men was not part of his skill set. The man had turned another corner after the first one and just _disappeared_. He should take that as a sign to let it go, chalk it up to temporary insanity…but…

He sat back in his chair, his lips compressed in a hard line, his firm retained a number of private detectives, they specialised in tracking people down, maybe he should… but that was crazy he had hardly anything to go on, and he would need a plausible cover story as to why he wanted this man found, but…

Sam ran his hand through his hair, perplexed at his current situation and uncertain of his next course of action when he was never either of those things, he always knew exactly what he wanted and exactly how to get it; he never deliberately wasted his time on frivolous pursuits yet he was still thinking about this man and still unable to come to a firm resolution. Damit, _why_ _couldn't he get that man out of his head?_ he didn't know a thing about him, he didn't even know his name, and yet…

'Hi honey, what's got that look on your face?'.

Sam looked up at his wife as the sunlight streaming through the half closed blinds in his office lit up her golden hair and her smile lit up the room and just like often he was struck by her beauty 'Good morning Jessica'.

'Wow full naming me huh, our burden must be heavy indeed' she teased.

'Sorry Jess' Sam murmured as she came to kiss him, Jess had hated being called by her full name ever since the boys at their college had began teasing her for her 'sex doll' looks by calling her Jessica Rabbit, after a sultry over endowed animated character. Sam had heard about it around the campus and without knowing a thing about the recipient of the unwanted sexual harassment he had realised the negative repercussions should this woman choose to take legal action, in short he would rather not sit through endless lectures on sensitivity and campus policy, or worse some kind of investigation while the faculty tried to ferret out the culprits to face disciplinary action. To prevent this he decided to start issuing 'cease and desist' orders to his fellow freshmen warning them of the dangers and making it clear that should disciplinary action be a result of others failing to heed his warnings they would have to deal with him. He had been quite surprised when one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen in his life had walked up to him one day and told him she had been laughing for the last few days thanks to him, because formally written legal apologies had been shoved under her dormitory door all week and the jerks who had been constantly harassing her had suddenly turn tail and run. He had considered denying it at first but it was evident that she had traced the whole thing back to him even though he had never signed his name to anything and he knew none of the idiots involved would have dared to tell her or anyone else who was behind their sudden change in behaviour, so she had traced it back to him all on on her own, _she was smart_, he liked that.

The next time he met her he had been sitting under a tree with his nose in a law book when she had sat beside him and kissed him on the cheek, thanking him. He had told her no thanks was necessary because the idiots responsible were in clear violation of campus rules and he had simply made them stop before they bought the entire collage into the disrepute, the faculty would have to be seen to act at that point and when they intervened it would be one time wasting incident after another for all of them, in short, it was better to bring the situation to a halt in its early stages rather than have it spread.

Jess had laughed even harder when after his explanation he had returned to his law book barely sparing her a glance. 'You know I think I like it when you talk lawyer Mr. Sam' she had smiled kissing him again this time closer to his mouth 'wow you are just too cute, but your way to serious' to which he had replied that harassment was a very serious matter and not something to take lightly. 'wow you know what they say about all work and no play right? I mean do you ever just put down the books and have fun?' to which he replied 'I'm not here to have fun, and while my parents could afford to send me here, I take pride in the fact that I earned a scholarship and I am paying my way-' Jess had interrupted him by kissing him full on the mouth 'well that settles it Mr. Sam you did me a favour so I'm going to do you one, trust me you have no idea how badly you need somebody like me in your life, you _need_ to learn how to relax, trust me Mr. -soon to be lawyer- were gonna have so much fun together you're not going to know what to do without me!'

Jess had decided to stay under the tree and have her lunch with him after that whether he liked it or not, and since she was content to sit beside him quietly while he read his law book and ate his sandwich he didn't mind too much; then she told him that she was going to start calling him 'Mr. lawyer' if he didn't put the law book down and have lunch with her properly. He had weighed up the matter and declined, he had another three chapters to get through before class and if she wanted to start calling him Mr. lawyer he could hardly get upset about a declaration of future employment. He paraphrased his thoughts on the subject and Jessica had beamed at him, 'well that's what I'm going to call you now Sam just remember you bought on yourself _Mr lawyer_'.

He noticed that she seemed to like calling him that and he found himself liking it when she smiled. So he hadn't stopped her, not even when she tossed his expensive law book behind a tree, so he would 'stop and appreciate the beautiful summers day they were having' he elected to pin her down on the grass and kiss her hard and fast instead. But something about being sexually aggressive with her, about the way she affected him, hadn't sat right with him. Jess claimed she hadn't minded, that no girl minded being pinned down and kissed so passionately they couldn't think for a second, but _he minded_ he liked being in control at all times even of himself.

A few dates later with jess and two things had became abundantly clear to him, firstly that 18 year old Jessica Moore was still a virgin and two she was _immensely_ distracting, he actually drifted off into some daydream about her during a lecture and missed half of page of meticulous note taking as a result. He decided to cool things down after that, _his academic achievements had to come first_, that was why he was here to cement his education not his love life, there was plenty of time for a serious girlfriend _after_ he passed the bar, and Jess was defiantly serious girl friend material he just didn't have the time to make a commitment like that right now.

Things had come to a head when after turning her down for a date for the fourth time in a row Jess believed he had lost interest in her, which wasn't the case, far from it, in actual fact he was far _too_ interested in her, _that was the problem_ but he let her believe that it was the case because his best friend at the time Brady had made it abundantly clear that a women like Jess came along once in a life time and only a complete idiot would let her go to just so he could be king of the poindexters and even if he genuinely was that stupid, no guy ever ditched a girl because he was 'too interested in her' and Jess would never believe him if he tried to tell her that liking her too much was the real reason he wanted to call it quits and she would just assume he was lying and seeing someone else. Personally, he didn't see why Jess wouldn't believe his reason for needing to end things since it was the truth, but he went along with what Brady said because what he didn't know about breaking off romantic attachments was yet to be discovered.

Things had come to dramatic head when Brady had dragged him to a party against his will a few weeks later, after finding him in his room staring at a blank computer screen for the second day in a row. Unfortunately he had found that thinking about Jess despite breaking up with her was overshadowing his attempts to concentrate on his paper and Brady had called time and railroaded him into some RnR under pain of calling Jess and telling her he was pinning away for her.

He should have seen it coming, Brady was just too smug, but he was too wrapped in being furious with himself for not having the self discipline to simply forget about her and concentrate on his work to take enough notice. Naturally Jess had been at the party looking utterly beautiful standing by the pool in a bathing suit and damn near transparent sarong, all eyes were on her and Brady's ultra smug expression and 'you're welcome buddy' as he clapped him on the back and went to go look for a drink left him in no uncertain terms about who was responsible for her being there.

Jess was under the impression that he had coerced Brady into inviting her on his behalf because he missed her and he had no chance to explain otherwise as the party got into full raucous swing and he could barely hear himself think.

He was about to take Jess to one said and explain that this entire thing was Brady's idea not his, and although despite his best efforts not to think about her he still missed being with her nothing had changed and he still had to put his academic success first, when a stupid blind drunk frat boy attempted to drag Jess into a drunken embrace and put his sloppy mouth all over her. Jess had shoved him back and slapped him soundly before he could succeed but then the drunken idiot had tried to get nasty and persistent resulting in him charging over there before he even realised he'd moved and punching the frat boy hard enough to send him flying into the pool. His frat brothers dived in to rescue it when it became clear the fool was actually too drunk to swim and he was suddenly the talk of the party whether he liked it or not.

Brady had appeared out of nowhere and sprung into action threatening the frat boys to keep their collective mouths shut tight about the incident or their unconscious buddy would be up on charges that would make any charges they even _thought_ about pressing against Sam seem laughable. Jess had snorted 'lawyers, seriously, I'm fine Brady thanks for asking'

And Sam not that I'm not grateful but I could have handled that jerk on my own, I know self defence and trust me his man region was about to be in a world of hurt courtesy of my knee.

He didn't doubt that she could have handled the drunken idiot if she had to, but he had still felt furious enough to haul the unconscious asshole up, sober him up with good strong coffee and then beat him unconscious again, but Jess had pulled him away insisting that it was nothing but a drunken over enthusiastic attempt at kiss, nothing she couldn't have handled and certainly nothing to go to law over.

Jess had suggested they leave quickly before his dumb jock friends tried picking a fight with him to save face and go somewhere together just the two of them, Brady had quickly dragged him off to one side an pressed his off campus apartment key into his hand and winked at him, come on it's no big deal, I'll stay over at the dorm tonight, come on it's about time you sealed the deal buddy' He had taken the key mostly to shut Brady up and get him to leave before anything else happened. He had been fully intending to drive Jess home at first but a few heated kisses later in the still parked car and he knew where it was heading, he wanted Jess, and he couldn't just walk away from her he realised as he drove her to Brady's place instead of her own, he was simply going to have to reconcile himself to that fact.

They had kissed most of the drive over and all the way up the stairs and into Brady's apartment , when he had carried her up to Brady's room -no easy feat when you were still kissing-, and laid her on the bed he was crystal clear about what he wanted. He had weighed it up and on balance he was just as distracted without her as he was with her, it made more sense to have her with him and learn to work with the occasional distraction having a serious girlfriend caused then to be without her constantly thinking about her.

To this day he distinctly remembered how much he had to reign himself in that night, for one thing he didn't want to hurt her Jess was a virgin he wasn't and he didn't have any experience in being with one, and second he was going to get her to marry him so his performance here really counted, he remembered exactly how he felt as he untied the little sarong and then her bathing suit and she let him staring up at him trustingly and unafraid as she pulled him down to kiss her murmuring 'what have you got for me Mr. lawyer'.

Sam frowned, that man had called him 'Mr. lawyer' as well, it was just coincidence since all the man knew was his name and that he was a lawyer and the man had acted as if here were grilling him for information so it made sense that he called him that. Still the that he called him that, besides as pet names went it was hardly imaginative, but that was his life lately he supposed boring, suit tie, work, golf, boring, _he didn't even like golf_, in fact he hated it, but more work was conducted on the green then in the office at his firm. The only times he ever felt truly _alive_ these days was in the court room and even that didn't hold the fierce thrill it used to have for him

_Damit_ he should have at least learned that man's name then it would be easier to trace him.

'…And where still frowning' Jess murmured as she rested her forehead against his for a moment

'Sorry long night'

'I was worried about you, it was getting really late, I tried calling your cell but the automated service said it was switched off, then I got a text from a number I didn't recognise saying you were having car trouble, when I tried to call the number back, all I got was 'your call can not be taken at this time' over and over it was all pretty strange' .

'Guess it died on him again' Sam mumbled.

'What?'

'Like I said it was a long night'.

'You're telling me, I was waiting up for you, but the next thing I know its morning, some wife huh'.

Sam smiled and kissed her and Jess smiled at him 'hmm were you really having car trouble, I mean should I be worried?'

'About what?'

Jess smiled 'Should I be worried that some hot new lawyer woman whose far more beautiful than me has snagged your attention'.

'More beautiful? Sam looked incredulous and then comically belligerent as he snapped 'No thank you, it's enough trouble being married to a woman that turns heads everywhere she goes as it is'.

Jessica laughed 'oh wow Sam, most woman would think that was the sweetest compliment a husband ever paid a wife, but with you sitting there scowling like that it's just hilarious'.

'Yes well, there was no woman involved last night I assure you. My stupid car broke down, and I have just spent the better part of this morning giving the dealership a solid piece of my mind and negotiating the terms of my compensation. Would you believe they had the _audacity_ to offer me some piece of rusted scrap mental to drive to work in while they attempt to fix a _brand new_ car. It was a suggestion as insulting as it was patently ridiculous and I set them straight in no uncertain terms'.

Jessica's golden eyebrows rose the way they often did when she was humouring his latest tirade 'no your right _the audacity_' she exclaimed a soft smile playing on her full lips belying her gentle humour at Sam's notorious disdain for anything other than the absolute best.

'Why should I be seen driving some bargain price substitute? Did _I_ break the damn car or did _they_ sell it to me broken? I made it abundantly clear to those crooks what they could do with their idea of a loner because I have absolutely no intention of accepting a car on loan while this situation is resolved unless it is of equal or greater value to the defective model they just sold me'.

'Equal or greater value _to a four hundred thousand dollar car_, Oh I bet they _loved_ that!'

'Do I care?'

Jess laughed as she walked around to the back of his chair and started massaging his shoulders gently like she often did but like everything lately he barely felt it, he was just so damn tired… that was until, last night he hadn't felt tired, for the first time in a long time he had felt… coiled tense, right, wrong… he had _felt._

'They weren't exactly _happy_ about that particular demand no, _but then I am not exactly thrilled here either'_ he growled 'In fact they attempted to flat out refuse me until but I spelled out the what would happen to them if I were to file a lawsuit against them for selling me a defective car with a defective satellite navigation system in it, which led me into one of the roughest neighbourhoods in the city where it and the car promptly died and left me at the mercy of local hoodlums'.

Jess sucked in her breath and pulled his face around to hers 'You didn't tell me that! That's terrible! Anything could have happened to you!'

'Believe me they are aware of the position their shoddy merchandise put me in, and what would happen if that information were to be made public.

The phone rang and Sam picked it up snapping 'Denison' his eyes narrowing as he listened and then barked 'are you mentally deficient! Why would exactly would I want that piece of trash repaired? One does not _repair_ things that are brand new, the facts are clear the car is _broken_ and I demand a new one….. is that so, well I suggest you listen to me very carefully before you put your so called career into further jeopardy, _put me through to your manager who is supposed to be handling this immediately'. _Yes this is he to whom I am speaking?….. is that so?…. Then it's in order for me to suggest you keep better track of your staff, have you perhaps considered tying mittens to their quick little hands to stop them taking calls not intended for them… no that was not an attempt at humour that was me asking you if aside from wasting my valuable time you are not set on taking me for a complete imbecile… no, then do you fondly imagine that I don't know you were trying to fob me off with some _gofer_ on the shop floor rather than deal with the mess that your incompetence and shoddy merchandise has created… feel free to save any explanations, the actions of your company have left me with no recourse but to file detailed and extensive legal paperwork against you effective immediately… my legal team? Denison and Masters… yes I am _that_ Sam Denison… really? Well let me tell you that your heartfelt apology means precisely _nothing_ to me. After this latest incident I will be satisfied with nothing less than a brand new car delivered to my home by the close of business _today_, not to mention _full_ compensation for the extensive inconvenience this situation has caused me, _and_ I will also be expecting a personally written letter from the CEO of the company accepting full liability, acquiescence to my perfectly reasonable requests given the circumstances, and offering sincere and unreserved apologies for the personal distress this incident has caused to me… no I'm not, in fact I think you will find I am deadly serious but if you think otherwise, if you believe I will hesitate for even a moment before suing you into insolvency _try me'_

Jessica groaned faintly and then rubbed her face gently along Sam's before pulling back to look at him 'winning friends and influencing people that's my Sam' she whispered in his ear as he slammed down the receiver and glared at it. The phone rang almost immediately and he snatched it up barking 'Denison' into the receiver 'And who is this?... I could not care less if it's not standard procedure in this kind of situation or who in export management doesn't like it, the matter is quite simple and believe me I will not be repeating myself again so let me spell this out for you clearly, if you want to avoid being very publicly sued and do not want to deal with the scandal and loss of consumer confidence that I assure you will be the fall out you will acquiesce to my demands quickly and _silently'._

'Ooh' Jessica breathed out distractingly in his ear 'you're giving me chills Sam'.

'One moment please I have an important call coming in' Sam hit the mute button on the phone and hissed 'This is not a laughing matter Jessica' Jess came around his office chair and sat in his lap patting his shoulders mockingly as he glared at her, 'you go on with your call Mr. lawyer you don't mind me at all' Sam gritted his teeth as she teasingly ran her hands over his chest and shoulders while kissing him in a practiced move she often used on the rare occasions they disagreed because it distracted him from whatever valid point he was making and gave her the upper hand and she knew it, 'Jess I repeat this is a serious matter that currently demands my full attention'

Jess smiled at him and kissed along his face and jaw

'I'm not disagreeing you get back to it' he glared at her his eyes narrowing as he hit the mute button again, 'I'm back… is that so' his voice lowered a smooth dark octave as he almost purred 'Do not be so sure, suffice it to say, I can have paperwork filed within the hour accusing your company of breach of contract miss-sold goods, reckless endangerment, culpable negligence, and a host of other things, and then _I will get creative'._

'Oh lord' Jessica breathed in his ear.

'You do that, but see that you do it in the time stated, I have made my position on the matter clear'.

'Has the poor kid on the other end of the line lost bladder control yet, because I've seen you do that to people before'.

'Fine I will expect to take delivery of the new car this afternoon no later than 5pm' Sam slammed down the receiver and turned his attention to Jess 'I was speaking to the chairman of the board of the entire franchise in Europe, not some junior lackey on the shop floor in America, and if he soiled himself during our conversation that's his own affair, all I need him to do is order the situation resolved by the end of business today _or else'_.

'Ooh, well I hope for his sake of his job he does just that or I'm guessing he can kiss his fancy European office goodbye before you're done with him'.

'_Long_ before I'm done with him' Sam growled

Jess kissed him and ran her hand through his hair where it brushed against his collar 'does it make me a bad person that I like it when you're tearing your poor opponent to shreds like that?'

'I don't see how'.

Jess kissed him and gently ran her long red nails down his cheek 'I'm sorry I was asleep when you got back' she murmured kissing him again.

'When I finally managed to get home you had fallen asleep with your digital tablet in hand while waiting up for me, I didn't want to wake you, so I carried you to bed and slid in beside you'.

'Mmm sounds sexy, sorry I missed it'.

'I'm just glad I got to come home to you. Had it not been for the efforts of that 'good Samaritan' if you will, and his ability to get the car started again the situation may well have turned out far worse than it did. It was his phone that I was able to text you from, unfortunately the phone was a relic from a bygone era and I was unable to use it to actually call you'.

_He must have still sent the message or wrote a new one even after he dropped him off _

'Well you did say it was a very underprivileged area right, maybe the poor man couldn't afford anything better, I hope you weren't well… _you_ about it' .

'What is that supposed to mean?'

Jessica sighed 'I hope you didn't start making comments about his phone not working' .

Sam's silence made Jessica shake her head 'what am I going to do with you' she murmured kissing him lightly on the lips, 'and after he was nice enough to help you out'.

'His apparent good deed does not negate the fact that his phone was malfunctioning relic, or fact that apart from being someone who helps those stranded when their overpriced cars break down he could still also be a serial killer in his spare time, like I'm always telling you everyone has something to hide'.

'Well lucky for me the only thing I ever tried to hide from you was that I seriously enjoy Muppet movies, a terrible secret that was exposed when you found my secret stash. Sam rolled his eyes and shook his head as Jess laughed 'oh come on Mr. cynic, even you have to admit that something good happened here, like I'm always trying to tell you, not absolutely everyone has something to hide or is up to no good. This man helped you out of the kindness of his heart there was nothing in it for him at all and I hope you were kind enough to offer him something for his trouble'.

Sam sighed 'maybe my work does make me jaded Jess, but there is a lot of bad out there, I see it on a daily basis, the real ugliness under the veneer of civilised society, and no I didn't offer him any money perhaps I should have but I knew he was the type that wouldn't take it, and get offended if I pushed it'.

'I would ask how you know, but it's you, the soul reader so I guess you're probably right'.

'I hate that damn nickname, being able to read people is really not all that difficult you just have to pay attention, I gave him a ride to somewhere near where he was staying, he seemed cagey about giving me the exact address'.

'You don't think… he was homeless do you?'.

_He honestly had not thought of that at the time, when it probably should have been among the first things to come to his mind_

'It's difficult to say, I would have gladly driven the guy home and emptied my wallet into his lap if he would accept it but like I said he was that rare working class pride type' the man's image flashed into his mind so sharp and clear it hurt for a moment, and suddenly over Jess touching him and over the familiar scent of the perfume she always wore which clung to her hair and her skin so she always smelled like spice and flowers, he could smell a sharper more masculine note, but it was strangely akin to what he was smelling now, he looked into his wife's eyes, green just like that man, similar mouths similar colouring…

He hadn't really looked at Jess properly since she came into the room he was too busy venting his fury about his damn car, and the light from the half closed blinds had been streaking across her face partially obscuring her eyes and mouth to shadow, but looking at her intently now _he was right_ the man and Jess… _they could easily be mistaken for siblings,_ no wonder he couldn't stop staring at him it was actually _disconcerting_ how alike they looked now he thought about it. Maybe that was what all the weirdness was about? he had run into a man who could easily pass for his wife's male double or brother and it had thrown him…

'Sam, are you okay?'.

Sam pinched the bridge of his nose and grimaced 'Yes I'm fine'.

'Are you _sure_ you're okay'.

'Yes I'm just getting a headache or something'.

'Really _you're_ getting a headache, wow this is a first, in all the years we've been together you've never once caught flu, or been hit with some awful stomach bug going around at work like the rest of us mortals, you've always been in perfect health, Do you want me to get you a aspirin?'

'No I'm fine it's more likely tension related than health related, you know how much I _detest_ having my time wasted by incompetent idiots'.

'Yes I know, well if it's tension that's causing the problem maybe you should lie down'.

'Impossible. I have too much work to do'.

'It's Saturday morning Mr. workaholic' Jess murmured as she kissed him and he put his arms around her holding her closely; normally this bought him a kind of peace he thought as he ran his fingers though her waist length blonde hair, twisting a golden coil over his finger, but today her hair colour drew his thoughts back to the man he had met last night and his head began to ache.

Yes they fiercely resembled each other, but that didn't explain the feeling… the way he was drawn to him, it was about more than just how he looked it was something else, something more, something he couldn't explain because he didn't understand it.

Jess pressed up against him the same way she always did when she wanted him to make love to her, and he briefly considered turning her down; lately he and Jess were at serious loggerheads about babies, Jess wanted them, he didn't, his parents had always told him not to rush, they had him very late in life and enjoyed life to the full so they were ready to devote themselves fully to raising their only son, Sam felt something was missing in his life deep down in his soul he knew something was missing, but it wasn't children, he didn't want to have them, not yet, not until he found…

'Sam' Jessica purred snapping him out of his thoughts as arousal hit him when she said his name that way 'it's been days, come on were not going to keep on fighting about this, if you still want to wait to have kids then I can wait a couple more years, just remember I'm not interested in having my first child after forty just because your mother did, 30 Sam that's my maximum, three more years then I'm going to obtain your DNA with a court order'

Sam smiled and Jessica kissed him, the sun was making her golden hair shine like a halo and her face was in a wide smile, 'you're really beautiful' he said slowly.

'Yeah yeah, Mr. lawyer, way to deflect the conversation'.

'I wasn't, I really do think you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen'.

'Why thank you I try'.

'You don't have to try to be beautiful Jess' he said seriously 'you just are inside and out, it was a very good day for me when you kissed me and threw my law book away in college I knew anyone who could distract me from my research was worth a second glance'.

'Sweet talker'.

'I'm not sweet talking, I'm stating facts'.

Jessica kissed him long and hard gently rubbing up against him and he felt the first stirrings of real interest as he kissed her back and took her to bed all the while trying to put the nagging sensation that something was wrong out of his mind.

Jessica was sleeping in his arms peacefully and Sam grabbed the ringing phone before it continued blaring and woke her.

'Sir you told me to contact you the minute you had anything, do you want to discuss this over the phone?'

'No, my house 30 minutes, Sam looked over at the sleeping Jess, actually scratch that do you know the coffee house over on main?'

'Yes'.

'Meet me there instead'.

'Yes sir'.

Sam eased Jess out of his arms and dressed quickly, he had made the right decision to put his best investigator on the case just before Jessica had come in to the room and he had been dragged into dealing with the idiots at the car company.

He searched for his keys and then huffed in irritation as he remembered that he still didn't have a working car, he had been far to generous with those idiots today he should have made them bring the new one round immediately and screw the paper work they begged for time to have completed and now he was paying for his leniency. There was no other choice he thought as he sighed in confusion he would just have to take his wife's ridiculous Porsche. He quickly wrote Jess a note telling her he had to leave on urgent business in case she woke before he returned and placed it on the dresser before he set out.

It took three attempts for him to wrangle his 6'5 frame into tiny the car and he banged his head more than once, he simply could not understand why anyone would buy a car that was so small it would not look out of place on a monopoly board, what was the point, if you were going to spend money it should be on something that was a car not a plastic toy.


	3. Hunted - 3

**Hunted 3**

Sam looked at the inconspicuous brown envelope his investigator handed to him as they sat in the crowded coffee house, it was overly warm and the thrum of chatter as kinetic jazz music played was almost too loud, thankfully it died down as a group of nosy students left and he picked up the envelope after the waitress delivered his order of black coffee and left.

The envelope was sown shut and marked confidential and tension shot through him as he realised his own insistence that all results of all private investigations done by his firm had to be delivered this way for security purposes meant that he was going to have to start hacking the damn thing open in public.

He reached for the solid silver pocketknife his perfectly ordinary _until_ it came to gift giving parents gave him and carefully cut the intricate stitching, before breaking the seal and pulling the contents of envelope out as the investigator ordered a refill and sat drinking it in silence as he examined the gathered information.

The picture was of the man there was no mistaking it the investigator had found the right person, but the picture was not a small official photo attached to a full bio on the man detailing everything from his id number to his mothers maiden name as he had come to expect from his investigators instead it was a full sized surveillance photo with no name attached, in fact there was no official documentation on the man at all, just a stack of photographs. written information at all just

and infuriatingly it had no name attached. 'Are you telling me that despite all the resources at your disposal you could not find out this man's name?'

The investigator frowned and shook his head.

_Goddamit_ 'you're supposed to be one of our best that's why I asked you to look into this'.

'Oh I have _A_ name for him, it's just not _his_ name it's an alias one of many'.

'Where is he now?.'

'I don't know'.

'What the hell do you mean _you don't know_? All these pictures were taken today you clearly tracked him down and tailed him all afternoon so how can you not know where he is?'.

'That's just it sir I was tailing him but then he just… _vanished_ I don't know how else to explain it, one minute he was there and the next he wasn't… I know it sounds ridiculous sir but I don't know how else to explain it'.

_The same thing had happened to him but he wasn't the professional at tracking people here, that was supposed to be the man sitting across from him, and what the hell was his best investigator's, excuse? That the man simply up and vanished into thin air_

'You better start from the beginning'.

The investigator nodded and set his coffee down 'A man matching the description you gave me has been seen in the same neighbourhood you first encountered him last night twice in the last does not appear to live there, and no permanent address can be found for him at this one seems to know him directly, or know anyone who knows off him. in fact it seems to me the only reason anyone even remembers seeing him is his appearance'.

'Meaning?'

'He left quite a favourable impression on the women I spoke to about him'.

'Right go on'

_The man's ridiculous good looks were not his main focus of interest here_

The subject is illusive, suspiciously so, and my investigation led me to believe that he has at least four shady alias names taken from famous rock stars.  
Upon further investigation I was able to learn that he has been using hacked credit cards to pay for motel accommodation across town, however on visiting at least two of the motel rooms he booked using the credit cards I could find no evidence that he had been to either, no one remembered seeing or talking to him there and neither of the rooms look as if anyone had stayed there in the last few obviously can only be staying in one motel room at a time but he seems to be creating a false trail that could lead someone to any of the various locations he may be staying it.  
From what I can establish he alternates the cards and never uses the same one for long and maybe that's the key to his success, he makes relatively small transactions over a short period of time. and it's virtually impossible to trace which of the motel rooms he is staying in if any of them, because while it's reasonable to assume that this is his preferred method of affording a place to stay it's also conceivable that the booking rooms all over town for the same night using hacked credit cards is s diversionary tactic designed to throw pursuers off his trail while he pays cash to stay in a separate location no one is aware of.'

Sam looked over the information in his hand _and it explained how he could have such worn boots and a broken phone while having at least for hacked credit cards at his disposal. _

'I believe -and this is merely speculation at this point- that the subject has changed had changed location twice in the last six days and will probably cancel the cards he is using soon. Whoever he is it's clear that he knows exactly how to get away with what he is doing, the cards he's using now had a customer billing date at the end of this month and we're at the beginning, he clearly knows that small transactions charged to the cards of people who can more than afford it are not likely to be flagged as suspicious until the person receives their bill at the end of the month, even then these persons are wealthy enough that it may be the card holders accountant that has to flag up the discrepancies not the card holder, by that time he will have destroyed the cards and switched to others'

'I don't pay you to speculate, I pay you for facts, in future I suggest you take care to bring me facts when I ask for them is that clear?'

'I apologise sir, even for a preliminary report I know this is light on facts, just give me more time and I will get the information you need I assure you, I have never let you down before'.

'I know'.

Sam took drank the last of his coffee and signalled the waitress for a refill as he mulled over what the investigator continued to tell him. He briefly considered alerting the authorities and then he examined the charges on the accounts his investigator had semi illegally accessed and checked against the details of the hacked credit cards the man was using. $2.000 on dog pedicure, manicure, and five nights at 'exclusive doggie hotel' was just one of the frivolous expenses to catch his eye, it paled in significance to the $55 dollars for two nights stay in a cheap hovel downtown that the man had added to the wealthy socialites account. He simply couldn't bring himself to care about a stray charge that probably wouldn't even be noticed by the over privileged new York socialite.

So what was he to take from this information? It was clear that the man was mixed up in something that was probably dangerous definitely illegal. Also the man's method of using the cards to throw people of his tail made it virtually impossible to pin point his exact moves, and he _still_ didn't know his real name, where to find him, or where he was going next; essentially despite all the information he had been told and the stack of pictures in his hand he still knew as little about the man now as he did when he first met him, in fact more questions presented themselves, what did the man actually do? How did he obtain the money for food and clothing and rooms paid for in cash? He clearly wasn't using the card to pay for any of that were no such charges to any of the hacked cards had been made and no cash withdrawals, for small amounts showed. Things were getting _more_ perplexing not less.

Sam rested the pictures on top of the envelope and stared at the investigator, he was one of the best, despite his youth, and had been nicknamed ,the fountain' amongst the team of investigators that worked for Denison and Masters due to his ability to hack just about anything and produce a fountain of information on anyone he investigated.

'This time it seems 'the fountain' has only managed to produce a tiny trickle of information, I'm not impressed, what you have given me leaves me with more questions than answers. Continue the investigation and let me be clear, I want to know the name of the man in that photo, it is an absolute priority that you find out his name, and current location _is that clear?'_

'Yes sir'. Do I have your authorisation to expand the scope of this investigation, some things are bothering me and-

'Do whatever you need to; you will be fully recompensed as usual'.

'Yes sir my report will be ready in 24 hours'.

'Contact me then'.

'Yes sir'.

Sam examined the shots of the man entering and exiting two separate buildings as the investigator left both buildings were deserted on inspection the investigator had told him and there seemed to be no reason to go into either of them. The first shot of the man showed him with that useless phone of his in his hand in mid speech, he was wearing that same serious expression he had suddenly taken on in the car and he wondered if the call was from the same person who had called him before, the one the man called 'sir'.

The next set of shots showed him rubbing the phone repeatedly before putting it in his pocket, _temperamental_ he thought rolling his eyes as he took a sip of his strong black coffee and laid the pictures down.

All his life he had learned to trust his instincts they had never steered him wrong before, now either he was going crazy because he was due a colossal fuck up in his generally well ordered life, or his instincts were right as usual, which meant that no matter what he had to find this man _and_ _fast_. It was obvious that he was transient and could disappear in an instant, with no real information of any kind on him, unless he found him now while he was still in town he could lose track of him permanently.

The idea of never finding the man was unacceptable to Sam he had already reconciled himself to that fact before he called his best investigator on to the case, what he had not been counting on was the man being so difficult to find.

He didn't question the why of finding him anymore just the _how_, he rang the investigator and ordered him to put two more of their best investigators on the case, and if that didn't work as many as it took but he wanted the man found today as fast as humanly possible. His head throbbed like it never had before and he was surprised when a splash of crimson hit the photograph of the man… _was his nose bleeding?_ This was new, he was _never_ sick, not ever.

Jess said it was probably because he was a highly advance cyborg under all the sexy man meat, _sometimes Jessica was really too much_, but she bought fun to his life, she was everything he wasn't outgoing, vivacious, full of love and laughter she loved life, where he viewed it as a struggle a constant battle to be fought and won, she loved people, where he instinctively distrusted them down to the last child, and most inexplicably she loved him with equal amounts tenderness and passion, when most people were afraid of him if they crossed him and content to simply give him a wide berth otherwise. In short he was nothing like Jess.

Beneath his 'handsome hot' as Jess called him exterior he was cold and cynical, he didn't see the good in anything or anyone because he didn't believe in it, his job had taught him just how depraved the human mind could really be, but even before he ever became a criminal defence lawyer he had always felt that most of his privileged upbringing was a sugar coated façade stretched over the darker reality of real life.

Growing up amongst the elite often showed its own darkness, the ugliness of watching those around you act as they pleased because they had the money to buy away the consequences no matter whom they trod on to do so. Then there was the deep down and certain knowledge that every one of your so called friends would physically sell you if it meant not losing their summer house, maybe that was why he had no _real_ friends, Jess was the one with all the friends and _her_ friends were his friends by extension' he knew she didn't see it that way, maybe some of their 'friends' didn't see it that way either _but he did_.

Jess dragged him to all the most fashionable places, arranged frequent dinner parties whether he liked it or not, and bought him to the many elaborate parties her work organised. He went mostly to please her and because her PR firm made his Law firm a lot of money and vice-versa, in short he would have been required to attend the events for the good of his firm whether they were married or not.

However, that knowledge did nothing to alter the fact that he _hated it_.

Attending social events was so far removed from the thrill of the courtroom, from fighting a case, the one place he truly enjoyed being, the one place he belonged, somewhere he didn't have to grit his teeth and countdown the minutes until he had paid enough token service and could leave.

Sam reached for his monogrammed silk handkerchief, that Jess had decided his bespoke tailored suit needed for some reason, and dabbed at his nose. Blood seeped over the monogrammed letters, which for some reason struck him as fascinating as the crisp stitched white SD on the black handkerchief slowly stained crimson red.

He turned his attention back to the photograph of the man wiping his blood off photograph with his finger.

The blood smeared and left a stain across the man's face smearing his beautiful lips with blood and his head throbbed harder.

S_omething was wrong._


	4. Hunted 4 notes

Snow day today, no college yay! chapters one and two have been re-written with more details, corrected mistakes and chapter two now has the back story of sam and jess and brady at college, dont worry sam will be finding out more about the mystery man he met in chapter three which im re-writing as we speak and should have posted within the next hour check it out if you can!

it's all getting very cloak and dagger, I think I may have been watching too much ghost in the shell stand alone complex recently! Also I think I like it a bit to much when the young private investigator calls Sam sir!

To those thinking about Sam's characterisation this is a Sam that has been to law school and is closer to robo Sam than anything else, he's not a dick and he's not exactly a sex manic either but he does have that slightly soulless quality to him which is part of why he feels so empty inside and he is so desperate to find that man again


	5. Hunted - 4

**Hunted 4**

**_He was standing in a river of blood. Bodies washed past him and he looked at them dispassionately because that was the cost wasn't it?, people died one way or another didn't, they? How could he really care about any of them?_**

Sam sat upright in bed, he was breathing hard and covered in sweat and his heart was pounding so hard his chest hurt. The room was dark and Jess was asleep beside him, he didn't want to wake her so he quietly got out of bed and went into his home office sitting down warily in his chair. _It was just a bad dream._ He had been getting them lately ever since that man had appeared in his life and disappeared just as fast. Maybe it was due to stress, this situation, this _predicament_ he found himself in, it was nothing he was used to, **h_e_**_** needed answers.** _

He glanced at the clock on his office desk and sighed there was no point going back to bed, he was far to tense to sleep, He was stuck waiting for his private investigator to report back to him. 'The Fountain' had promised him results in 24 hours and far from impressed with his previous offering if he knew what was good for him this time _he would deliver_.

'Sam what are you doing? It's 4 o'clock in the morning come back to bed'.

'I can't Jess, I have work to do'.

'You have to stare at a blank computer screen at this hour?'.

Sam closed the lid on his lap top, 'I couldn't sleep, I didn't want to wake you, so I thought I would get some work done'.

'Well that doesn't seem to be going to well… Sam are you sure your alright? You've been tense all day, is this about that business with your car?'

'No it's not about that, I'm not tense' Sam rubbed his forehead, 'okay maybe I am, it's just this case I'm working on'.

Jess kissed Sam on the forehead in the spot he had been rubbing soothing his tension slightly 'I know you can't discuss your cases with me but I'm sure you will crack whatever it is, you always do'.

Jess sat in his lap and rubbed his shoulders 'did you forget that I have to leave on a business trip in a few hours Sam?'

'No, that's why I didn't want to wake you'.

'Well thanks for the consideration' Jess smiled at him, 'but rolling over and finding the bed was empty woke me up anyway. You should come back to bed and make it up to me' Jess purred in his ear.

Sam kissed the soft palm of her hand as she ran her hand down the side of his face to his mouth and tugged her forward capturing her mouth in a kiss, running his tongue down her body and stripping the thin material from her, pulling her thigh up until her foot was hooked over his shoulder as he tasted in between her thighs, listening to her soft moans and cries as she neared climax, 'I want to come with you inside me Sam' she moaned her hands twisting in his hair and tugging at his shoulders until he stood up lifting her in his arms and carrying her back to their bedroom.

She was ready for him and he pushed inside her kissing her, and burying his face in her golden hair as he set a fast demanding pace, cupping her hips as she wrapped her perfect legs around his waist, 'Sam god, Sam, she sobbed 'I'm going to come'.

'Not yet' he commanded, 'wait for me'.

he quickened the past, thrusting faster and deeper, and she kissed along the side of his face and moaned 'I can't take it anymore I'm going to come' in his ear tightening around him as he felt the explosive tremors of her climax. 'Sam, Sam **oh god**, **Sam' **

He lifted her up so she was straddling him as he knelt on the bed with her arms wrapped around his neck kissing him as she came hard for him, crying out his name. He held her still for a moment staying deep inside her, feeling the tremors and aftershocks that ran through her, then laid her on the bed kissing her slowly, as she went soft and pliant in his arms, and he started to move inside her, taking his mind of everything else as he buried himself in her over and over again.

* * *

He wanted to drive Jess to the airport to keep his mind of other things if nothing else, but the firm was sending a car, and Jessica's assistant, client, and various others were all inside waiting to start work on the ride over to the airport.

Sam helped Jess put her luggage in the trunk waving the driver away, and Jess hugged him as he held her and breathed in her perfume wondering why this wasn't enough anymore when it had always bought him peace in the past. Jess kissed him long and hard, 'to wipe that expression of his face' and smiled at him murmuring 'mmm, you're going to miss me'.

'Yes' he said simply because he would, he always did.

'I might even miss you when I'm all alone, naked in that big motel bed' she husked rubbing against him a little, 'then again maybe they will have Muppet flicks on demand and a fully stocked mini bar and I'll be just fine without you' Sam kissed her capturing that smile with his lips

'Ms Moore, I'm so sorry to interrupt' Jessica's assistants face was flushed as her eyes darted between the two of them 'but we have to-'

'I know, I know, shish, can't I make out with my super hot husband in peace Leanne?' Jess smiled at Sam and then fixed her assistant with her million dollar smile and the assistants face went from a flushed to deep scarlet, 'We're making good time, you sent the limo a half an hour before early as usual so in reality we have an hour before we have to even think about leaving.

'I know Ms Moore, but we have to plan for contingences'.

'Like 20 car pile ups on the interstate, or aliens landing, or the distinct possibility that some kind of irritating time wasting situation will occur the airport'.

'Exactly, Anythings possible Mame, I just like to be prepared'.

Jess shuddered from head to toe, 'how many times do I have to ask you not to call me Mame, I'm not even thirty yet, give me a break will you!'

'I'm sorry Mame, I er, Ms more'.

'I keep telling you the name is Jess, J-e-s-s, now please stop with all this silly Mame business'.

'Yes Mame, I mean no Mame, I mean Ms' the assistant shot a nervous look in Sam's direction and hurriedly continued 'I appreciate that were early mam- er _Jess_ but-'

'-Okay, okay, now I'm gonna need you to take a deep breath and de-stress okay, were going on a book tour, not curing world hunger okay, now just give me a minute, because in case I didn't mention it my husband's hot and I want to make out with him a little more before I leave, is that okay with you?'.

'Of course mam-er Jess, I mean it's none of my business' the assistant practically dived back into the car as Sam pinned her with the stare that had undone many a witness on the stand.

'Sam' Jess hissed pulling his gaze back to her 'have you been putting the fear of god into my assistant again?'

'That was _one_ conversation and I would hardly class it as 'putting the fear of god into her' I simply pointed out that as your assistant she had certain duties and responsibilities-'

'-Sam she forgot to get me a latte one morning, that hardly warranted you nearly making her wet herself in terror'.

'That depends on your perspective, a missed cup of coffee one day, is a missed file the next day, is a lost client the day after that. In short, It is far wiser to stamp out incompetence the movement it rears its ugly head then to let it breed'.

'Good god you're ruthless and terrifying when you start talking like that' Jess pulled him closer and fused her lips to his, murmuring 'do you think that it makes me a bad person that it gets me all hot?'

'I don't see how'.

'Now you need to promise me that you are going to lay off my assistant Sam, _I_ might think it's hot when you come over all ruthless and domineering but I can pretty much guarantee that the only thing that poor girl is going to find it is terrifying. You should have seen that state she was in after you had your little chat with her, _I practically had too talk her down off a ledge_ _Sam_, so no more fear of god rhetoric are we clear Mr. lawyer?'

'I told you I have been doing no such thing, as frightening your little assistant, and for the record I don't have a problem with her. So long as she strives to achieve the level of basic professional competence she is clearly sorely lacking at present and doesn't become overly familiar like your last assistant, I don't foresee any problems in the future either'.

'Jamie was _not_ in love with me Sam,' Jess sighed exasperated as she glared at him 'how many times do I have to tell you?'

It doesn't matter how many times you tell me because it won't change the glaringly obvious truth that he was in fact _hopelessly in love with you,_ but let us agree to disagree if it makes you feel better'.

_'He had a girlfriend_ _Sam_, he could barley stop talking about her, she was who he was 'hopelessly in love with' not me'.

'Is that so? well I must say that changes everything, unless of course it's happened before in the history of human events that a male has had feelings for two females at the same time, oh wait, it happens every day and in actual fact it's perfectly commonplace, and never more so then when dealing with a sweaty hormonally charged teenager.'

'He was 22 Sam, _hardly a teenager'._

'He was a kid fresh from college, whose eyes were on stalks from the moment he saw you, and even if I accept for arguments sake that his alleged girlfriend was not a fabrication intended to draw suspicion away from his unhealthy obsession with another man's wife, I feel sure that any girlfriend he might have had, would have paled into insignificance in comparison and in no way lessened his desire for you'.

Jess shook her head slowly and smiled 'what am I going to do with you Sam, I mean there you go again, most women would think that was the sweetest compliment in the world but somehow coming out of your mouth with that Mr. lawyer tone and that expression on your face it's more of a condemnation than a complement!'

'I condemn nothing, it is hardly your fault, you can't help being beautiful, it's who you are'.

'You're going to have to stop with the backhanded compliments Sam or I might just start getting conceited' Jess smiled as she kissed him.

'All I'm asking is you become a little more discerning in your choice of assistant, some hormonally challenged child panting after you is hardly going to give you the kind of professional support that you need, when he can barley liberate his hand from his pants in your presence'.

'Now you're just exaggerating! And you know what Sam, I'm starting to suspect that you had something to do with him getting head hunted for that new job after all.

'I can hardly be blamed if an offer of more lucrative employment came along'.

Jess narrowed her beautiful eyes at him, 'well so long as my new assistant doesn't go the way the old one did I might consider believing you'.

Sam shrugged, but said nothing because he knew for a fact the new assistant would most **_certainly_** go the same way as the old one did. **_he had made sure of it._** This _Leanne_ was clearly even more infatuated with his wife than her former assistant had been, _he_ at least had the good sense to try and keep his obvious fawning over her under some discretion. This new one hadn't even mastered that, stammering and tripping over her tongue and sometimes even her own two feet every time Jess so much as _looked_ at her. Jess insisted it was because she was green, 'a nervous young intern' but he could see otherwise, _it was his job to see otherwise_, _it was his job to see plainly what people were hiding, _and as much as he hated the title, he was called 'the soul reader' with good reason; and he could read Jessica's new assistant like a witness lying on the stand and thus implicating themselves as a guilty party in open court. Her constant stammering and clumsy nervousness around Jess could arguably be attributed to nerves, but the constant staring, blushing, and increased breathing were definite signs of sexual attraction, and he wasn't fool enough to let it slide because she was a woman either; Jessica was his wife **_she could go find her own_**.

Fortunately he knew how to remedy this ridiculous situation, and he had already taken the necessary step of speaking to a contact that owed him a favor at the Public relations firm that foolishly fancied itself as a rival to Jessica's and head hunting their very _best_ personal assistant. At 29, he was older than he and Jess, extensively qualified, ruthlessly efficient, and as an added bonus, he was resolutely homosexual with a live-in male partner of 5 years.

'I'm sure it will all work out' he murmured to Jess as she leaned in and kissed him again while her assistant practically had her nose pressed up against the glass watching them, making it patently clear she wanted to be in his position. _The sooner he got rid of her and got his wife a **real** assistant, not some college kid with a crush **the better**_.

He opened the door and helped Jess into the car while her assistant tried and failed not to stare at her legs as her chic knee length dark crimson dress slid up a little as she arranged herself elegantly in the back seat of the limo.

**_The assistant had another week at most_**.

'Don't scare your staff while I'm gone Sam' Jess smiled kissing him and whispering 'see you soon, miss you' in his ear before he closed the limo door watching Jess drive away for a moment before he returned to their house.

As always the place seemed sprawling and empty without her there to fill it with her presence and he thought about what she said to him about not scaring his staff while she was gone. His staff often complained that he was difficult to work for at the best of times always wanting perfection and holding everyone up to an impossible standard, and according to them when Jess left on one of her frequent business trips he went from difficult to downright unbearable. _He supposed it was just as well that he didn't care less. _

He prepared to throw himself into work as he always did when Jess wasn't around to distract him, but it was slow and troublesome, and things that came to him easily and he could usually fly through with practiced ease and perfection became laborious. _He was thinking about that man again,_ against his will his thoughts were fixated on him and it was 10 times worse than having Jess around to distract him - it was simply unworkable.

He tried to contact his investigator but his phone was unreachable, this was not to be unexpected if he was deep in surveillance but it didn't help him in his current predicament as he hung up the phone and wondered if he should take out the file on the man again.

He had already committed every detail of the previous report to memory, every piece of information, every picture. He could gain nothing more by looking through it yet again.. The situation was out of his hands until he received the investigators report this evening. He wouldn't know anything new until then.

He had vast reserves of discipline at the best of times and he called upon them now, forcing himself to focus ruthlessly, _he had work to do._

* * *

He had been working away solidly at his desk for hours, the investigator would be here with his report soon and the light grew dimmer as evening approached and he found it harder and harder to concentrate no matter how much he forced himself to focus. At some point his head had started to ache, and as it got darker the pain in his head intensified to the point where he was forced to take a break.

He stood up and stretched a little, his shoulders were cramped and he felt tense coiled, worse than that the feeling he had yesterday in the coffee house that something was wrong had intensified to the point that it felt like his head was going to break open and bleed raw pain.

He was completely unaccustomed to such a sudden onslaught of aches and pains in his head or anywhere else and he massaged his temples slowly but it had no effect and finding no relief he remembered that Jess had offered to bring him an aspirin when it seemed as if he were going to get a headache yesterday. Aspirin right, Jess had to keep some around her somewhere, he just had to find it; he had never needed it before, he was never sick, just like Jess said, but he felt like he needed it now, he could only hope that it worked as the pain in his head intensified and he grimaced as the pain.

The bathroom cabinet right? that was the most sensible place to look first, maybe if he took one _or several_ … the pain kicked up another excruciating notch without warning, lancing through his head as if searing into his brain, and his legs began to give way. Something wasn't right, he couldn't see straight, his vision was hazy, fading in and out, images were overlapping, he couldn't see straight in front of him, what was wrong with him?

He doubled over in pain clasping on to wall trying to stay upright as images flashed painfully in front of his eyes, faster and faster, tripping over each other until he wanted to scream. He began to slide to the floor, trying desperately to pull himself upright but the pain sliced into the back of his eyes and made him cry out loudly as a single image sliced into his vision clear and sharp.

Blood, there was blood it was dripping.. it was dripping down someone's face… it was warm, he could feel it, he could smell it, was it his face? was the blood dripping down his face? him…but not him? it made no sense, He was somewhere…else, it was dirty, dusty, and he could smell the stench around him like a filthy urinal thick and acrid clogging his nose, and choking him, beer, sweat, stale cigarettes, he could see the dirt caked onto the stone floor, as the image became before him became dark, fading to a single spot of blood that splashed onto the dirty floor and then flaring out, blindingly hot and intense as the blood glowed a flaming vibrant crimson and burned his eyes like fire until he couldn't see a thing, bright white hot pain searing into his eyes splintering and tearing inside his head as he doubled up in agony clasping his forehead desperately and slamming his eyes shut against the blinding light in his head.

His eyes were closed tight, as he fought to breath, unfamiliar panic assailed him as he realised that he could still see as if his eyes were wide open and someone was sticking sharp pins of bright hot pain into his vision. Someone was crying out, he could hear muffled grunts of pain, laughter, shouts, and jeers and he could feel his blood pumping as if it were flowing from his body as pain exploded across his face and cheek bone as if he had been struck. His head whipped back as a crashing pain in the back of his head blurred his vision and everything faded into black, his hand stuck out in front of him as he could no longer hold himself up, and collapsed forward, but he fell to soft carpet not cracked concrete caked in filth what was this? he was in his own hallway, but he was another place as well, he was seeing two different things at once, what was real? was it the cold filthy concrete floor, or the soft carpeted hallway?… his head was torn in two, the taste of his own hot salty blood flowing into his mouth from his own bleeding nose was real, but he could feel blood flowing from a cut to his head that wasn't there when he frantically felt for it. The air rushed from his lungs his voice strangled as he cried out in pain dragging himself forward, feeling the pain of being struck with fists and boots and weapons, but no one was here _he was alone_, yet he could hear his attackers, jeering each other on, he could hear their crude comments, he could feel their sick intent as they touched him, and he was dragged to his feet, he could hear the loud clattering noise as something fell to the rough concrete ground and broke as he was thrown forward the air rushing from his lungs has he collided with something hard, but it wasn't him, he wasn't him this was happening to, he was laying on the floor in his home right? the carpet/the concrete, _what was going on_, what was real? what was happening to him, why was he seeing this, what was he seeing and hearing, _what was this?_

The jeering and shouting becoming louder and more violent as he was wrenched on to his back by violent hands the clattering sound again, loud plastic smashing, that sound, he recognised it, the sound of a phone hitting the floor and breaking, his vision wavered dark and hazy each blow, doubling him over in pain, someone was attacking him again but he couldn't see them, the blood rushed to his head as if he were being hung upside down and his eyes opened as blood poured from him mouth, but was it his mouth? Blood seeped into his eyes blurring his vision, stinging, his eyes, _his_ _eyes?_ He didn't even know anymore, he didn't know what was real. The sounds and images was fading it but the pain had become so unbearable his body was spiking with adrenaline and shaking uncontrollably, yet he felt distant, as if he was getting weaker, as everything faded to black he could see it on the dirty rough stone ground, he could see it through the haze of blood and pain and his eyes flew open, _he would recognise that piece of outdated junk anywhere,_ it was the man's phone.

Was he dreaming, was he having another bad dream, was he dreaming that the man was in trouble…

No he was awake, _this wasn't a bad dream_, it was something else, like the feeling he had in coffee house when he had accidently got his blood on the mans picture, but a thousand times worse, a thousand times more intense. And the same message flashed loud and bright into his mind now as it had then.

_Something was wrong_,

**something was wrong**,

**_SOMETHING WAS WRONG_**.

He wiped the blood of his face and struggled to get to the bathroom, the reflection of his eyes in the mirror were wild and dark pain crashed into his head again images assailing him, concrete, darkness, then light, blood, clear and bright red, darkness fading pulsing, puddles everywhere dark and unclear, lights, as the pain intensified and his legs gave way again as he tried to hold onto the wash basin sliding to the floor helplessly and trying not to throw up as the pain became unbearable; letters, reflections, images, he pulled himself along to the bath edge using it to pull himself up, _something was familiar_, something he saw in the dark puddles on the ground, not blood now but dark water that reflected like clear black glass, he focused on it as he wavered on his feet ignoring the blood pouring from his nose and getting on the expensive carpet as he weaved his way to his study staggering as he emptied the contents of the investigative report on to his desk. The images were warped and twisted and jumbled up in his head but he had seen it somewhere before, one of the images in his head, he had seen it before, _here right here_, it was the building the man had been photographed leaving the abandoned warehouse there was no explanation for him visiting.

The warped metal bars over the broken windows, it was impossible but it was happening, he was seeing it in his head as if he were there.

This building was near where he had met the man, he had been photographed leaving there, and now he was seeing him there.

Nothing had made sense since that man had come into his life, yet no matter how crazy it seemed he knew what his instincts, what _everything_ in him was _screaming_ at him to do

_He had to go to that place and he had to go right now._


End file.
